It's Birthday Time Again!

Happy Birthday to Beth! Having a birthday on December 30th can mean that you may get overlooked nearly every year. We wish her a successful, fun filled year. We love you, Beth. Beth is the best sport in every aspect of life. She takes Sophia's attitude that she inherited from her dad. He's kind of full of nonsense sometimes, and the rest of the time he's fairly opinionated, so she is a good sport, if you know what I mean.

Beth has the nicest parents in the universe, which is where we think she got some of her fabulous traits. They are supportive, loving, kind, and accepting. She's like that too.

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Beth, Happy Birthday to you. (Now, let's sing it again, while you blow out the candles, only it will be an octave higher.)

What are the chances that Beth will get a Jones nephew on her birthday? Maybe they will name him McBeth!

Picture This

We're so glad that Chris, Beth and Sophia came for Thanksgiving. It totally made us happy.

There have been several times this past month when I wished I had my camera because one picture is worth a thousand words. But because I either didn't have my camera or didn't dare pull it out at the appropriate time, here you have a very wordy post.

Word Picture#1= I was riding to a doctor's appointment with my wheelchair bound friend. I was in the front seat of the transport van with the driver. As I turned to chat with my friend whose wheelchair was strapped to the floor facing backward, I noticed a large red sign. It read "Seating positions in front of vehicle are for the physically challenged." Please make seats available to those who wish to use them. Now I ask, what does that make the driver and me? And who is the sign quoting?

Word Picture#2= Mel and I were standing in the check out line at Costco when I got the whiff of a long time familiar aroma. Could it be perm? Looking forward there was an older man with orange very tightly curled (I'm guessing red rods) wet hair. Looking at his orange shirt, I noticed a red jaggity wet ring at his neck line, the culprit of the aroma. One interesting side light is that his back hair matched the color and curl of his head.

Word Picture#3 = Oakley ate his ham, grapes, orange and carrot without spitting them out. I was so proud of him for cleaning his turtle bowl so well. Suddenly it all returned to the bowl in minced form. I do have a picture for this one, but the picture will never do it justice.Lastly, and we do have pictures for this performance. Noelle and Marissa played their piano recital pieces so well today. Recitals are so nerve wracking, aren't they? They not only played well, but looked beautiful at the same time. We're so proud of them.

Babies!!!

Reese Melvin: AKA Baby A: 2 lbs 7 oz - 14 3/4 inches long

Reese has been the strong one who pretty much tried to compensate for his little brother. I think he is the peacemaker and calming influence and even though he is bigger he wasn't quite as ready to come. We're so grateful for wonderful smart doctors, who confer with other wonderful specialists and then act on their plan. Reese has a blood clot in his leg that they are hoping to be able to dissolve. Thank you for your continued prayers.Nate Jeffrey: He has been known as Baby B until this time. 2 pounds 2 oz. - 14 inches long

This is the little guy that caused the doctor to sprint into the room and announce that the babies were on their way. Previously his heart rate had been low, then high, then okay. He had reverse blood flow issues and just kept the doctors consulting and wondering. Monday afternoon his heart rate had been around 200 for an hour and things weren't calming down. Sara called Jason who was dutifully coaching at basketball practice. Jason made it to the OR with 30 seconds to spare. He is such a caring, concerned and loving husband and dad. We, as parents are so grateful for him. The "heating pad" on his head looked to be a 4X4 pad.
Oakley has been a trooper too. Last week when Sara was first in the hospital (again) he and I were riding home from the ball field, and he said, "I want to go home." I told him that we were going home. He said, "NO! I want to go home! Mom! Dad! I want to go home." He seemed so happy to sit next to Jason in the hospital chair and play games on his dad's phone, then talk to Sara and see that she was at the "docker." He has done pretty well all week long, but yesterday was another "I want to go home day" at Debbie's and then with Grandma Roberta. So in that way, "normal" will come soon, little buddy. Here's a picture of him at birth. We thought he was so little. He truly is the big brother. In about 2 1/2 months, Reese and Nate will look somewhat the same. You'll see.
Sara is looking forward to when things are back to normal. I'm thinking "normal" won't ever have quite the same meaning. We are so proud of her and Jason.

Random Review

Tonight we went to the adult session of stake conference. Edith Haws was the first speaker and gave an excellent talk with the message: Learn from the past and live for the future. There are so many things to learn from the past. Some we would love to repeat daily, or maybe yearly as traditions while others we just hold our breath and hope we never have to struggle like that again. I'll review some things I have learned from the past. My grandchildren have amazingly strong parents. These are parents who, even in hard times, make it good for their kids. This was ten days after Parker was born, while he was still in the hospital. Even though Natalie spent all of her time at the hospital she had already made the Peter Pan costume and the Wendy outfit, bought the swords and had everything ready for Halloween.

It may not be cool enough to hike on Christmas day in Arizona. Also note, all of the boys in our family make a certain face when they are telling a BIG story. Don't believe a word they say. On the other hand, I don't know a more honest pair than my parents. My mother is always True! Proverbs 22:1- A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Some get or make more hype for their birthdays than others. Would you believe, the Primary music chorister still remembers Melissa's birthday? How many years since Melissa was in Kachina ward Primary?

Miracles still happen! God still loves his children and we are so grateful.

Kevin is the favorite. Don't know how it happened, but it is evident.

Live for the future. It will be amazing!

Halloween - what are you going to be?

Abby Normal

Just in time for Halloween please see our science projects. Fetal pigs? Brains in a bottle? Pretty much looks like it. Lately we've thought that it was cool enough to pressure can a batch of something a couple of times a week. As I cut up the chicken, I thought how this was just like cutting through flesh. The scissors made the same neat sound as when I cut through my own hand. I am thinking of going back to school. I'm wondering what the chances are that I could become a hand surgeon.
A brain surgeon?
Maybe I should become an architect. Wait, I just provided the box and the girls pretty much did the architectual design work. This is a very cool house though, they even decorated the inside and made a decorative walk up to it.

Or should I become a school teacher? Is it normal to be wondering about this at this age ? What am I going to be when I grow up? Grow up? That might be a key phrase.Here's the man who allows me to have so much fun being a grandma and playing at all of these fun pastimes. He is the one who doesn't call me Abby Normal (out loud).
If I were a brain surgeon, an architect, or a school teacher I might miss out on times like these. I wouldn't care if my brains were in the bottle labeled A B-normal.

STAND

I pulled out the long standing zinnias. Green bulb shoots are coming through the ground. I'm excited for new flowers.

Thought for the day: Stand together and lift where you stand! Thank you friends for doing just that.